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Gubbins, Ed
Current Analysis
Senior Analyst, Mobile
Access Infrastructure
Competitive Strengths
Current Perspective
LEADER
Nokias LTE eNodeB portfolio is a leader in the market. The vendors Flexi Multiradio 10 BTS, suited for
both indoor and outdoor deployments, supports up to nine baseband modules (each module supporting
up to nine LTE carriers @ 20 MHz) and RF modules that can also be used as Remote Radio Units (RRUs).
Nokia also offers six LTE small cells, which are analyzed more fully in a separate report.
In 2015, Nokia acquired Alcatel-Lucent, including its LTE RAN portfolio, promising to support the
installed base of this equipment but positioning its own existing portfolio as its primary offering for the LTE
RAN macrocell market.
In early 2016, Nokia announced new LTE RAN products as part of its AirScale offerings, including a new
multi-RAT base station promising ten times the capacity of its existing gear and a new dual-band 2x100 W
radio unit. Both products are to be available in August and not included in this analysis.
Managing these multiple points of transition the absorption of Alcatel-Lucents assets and the bridge
between the Flexi Multiradio 10 and AirScale will pose significant challenges for Nokia. Operator concerns
about Alcatel-Lucent products sunsetting may give rivals an opportunity. Likewise, the promise of AirScale
may forestall near-term purchases of the Flexi Multiradio 10 since the Flexi 10s capacity claims are still lower
than AirScales. At the same time, AirScale can be used to deflect some of the criticisms that rivals may make
of the Flexi 10 for example, the relatively low number of cells and users it supports per liter of hardware
space.
Strengths
2G/3G/4G Capacity: Nokia claims the Flexi Multiradio 10, in its full ninemodule configuration, can
support 162 carriers of LTE capacity as well as 324 TRX of GSM capacity and 324 sectorcarriers of
WCDMA. Those WCDMA and LTE capacities leads the market, and the GSM figure is surpassed only
by Ericsson. Whether or not operators need as much capacity as Nokias upper limits represent, its claims
assure operators theyll have plenty of room to scale.
Spectrum Support: Nokia claims its Flexi Multiradio 10 base stations support 31 different spectrum
BBU Cell Support Density: Nokia claims its Flexi Multiradio 10 supports up to 18 cells per physical
BBU. The 25 L volume of the FD-LTE Flexi 10 implies less than one cell supported per liter. And the 18
L volume of the TD-LTEonly indoor version implies one cell per liter. Both are lower figures than any
other vendor reports. High cell support density promises operators the ability to handle increasing traffic
loads in a given unit of space.
BBU User Support Density: Nokia claims its Flexi Multiradio 10 supports up to 7,560 active users per
physical BBUThe 25 L volume of the FD-LTE Flexi 10 implies support of 302 users per liter, and the
18 L volume of the indoor TD-LTE-only version implies 420 users per liter. Both are less than all other
vendors report for a highcapacity eNodeB. The ability to handle large volumes of users simultaneously in a
given amount of hardware space helps protect operators investments from spikes in network traffic loads .
Remote Radio Form Factors: The physical volume of Nokias RRUs varies widely from 5 L one of
the most compact RRUs on the market to 33 L. The average across this portfolio, 25 L, is higher than
those of all four top competitors. Compact form factors can help ease installation and siting, potentially
lowering operating costs.
Trailing Moves: Multiple recent solution introductions appear to illustrate Nokia following competitors
actions. Its introduction of integrated antenna solutions in 2015 have it following a trail that Ericsson
began blazing in 2011 and Huawei and ZTE have since followed. And the RRH Book Mount solution
Nokia unveiled in 2015 bears no small resemblance to the Blade RRU Huawei introduced long before.
Point
Huawei and ZTE will argue that Nokias RRU portfolio does not offer enough variety (in terms of form
factors, antenna configurations and power output levels), making it difficult for operators to match their
infrastructure investments precisely to their needs.
Counterpoint
Nokia will respond by pointing out that (a) its RRUs offer greater flexibility through granularly adjustable
power levels and (b) many of the additional RRU options from rivals have larger, unwieldy form factors.
Point
Ericsson and ZTE will argue that Nokias eNodeB capacity density in terms of cells and active users
supported per baseband unit is inferior, meaning that Nokia requires operators to consume more space
(and incur more cost) to scale capacity.
Counterpoint
Nokia will respond that the Flexi Multiradio 10 leads the market in terms of total LTE carrier capacity
per site, supporting up to 162. It will further point out that the AirScale available in August features a
significant capacity boost.
Point
All of Nokias competitors will argue that operators currently using Alcatel- Lucent equipment should
immediately investigate plans to transition away, potentially targeting upgrade cycles like LTE-Advanced
or LTE-Advanced Pro rather than wait for 5G.
Counterpoint
Nokia will respond by arguing that its ongoing support of Alcatel-Lucent gear allows operators to
maximize the return on those investments before upgrading to Nokia gear.
Buying/Selecting Criteria
STRONG
LTE Carriers: Nokias Flexi Multiradio 10 promises support of 18 carriers per baseband module and
162 carriers per site (with nine modules). These figures were revised upward in Q1 2016 from long-held
claims of supporting up to nine carriers per module and 81 per site. The new per-site total puts Nokia
at the top of market claims. Generally speaking, high capacity levels can benefit mobile operators by
reducing the number of base stations needed to support traffic growth.
BBU Cell Support Density: Nokia claims its Flexi Multiradio 10 supports up to 18 cells per physical
BBU. The 25 L volume of the FD-LTE Flexi 10 implies less than one cell supported per liter. And the 18
L volume of the TD-LTE-only indoor version implies one cell per liter. Both are lower figures than any
other vendor reports. High cell support density promises operators the ability to handle increasing traffic
loads in a given unit of space.
BBU User Support Density: Nokia claims its Flexi Multiradio 10 supports up to 7,560 active users per
physical BBUThe 25 L volume of the FD-LTE Flexi 10 implies support of 302 users per liter, and the
18 L volume of the indoor TD-LTE-only version implies 420 users per liter. Both are less than all other
vendors report for a high-capacity eNodeB. The ability to handle large volumes of users simultaneously
in a given amount of hardware space helps protect operators investments from spikes in network traffic
loads.
JJ RF Performance
LEADER
Output Power: The Flexi Multiradio 10 offers a variety of RF modules and RRUs with a variety of
output power levels, in adjustable steps starting at 1 W per transceiver. Nokias highest-power RF module
offers up to 360 W (6x60 W), and its RRUs offer up to 120 W (4T4R and 2T2R) or 160 W (8T8R),
depending on configuration. The 360 W upper limit exceeds the claims of all rivals, as does the range of
options covered by Nokias portfolio. High output power enhances coverage by extending cell reach or
penetrating deeper into structures, and wide variety of options helps keep operators from paying for more
power than they need.
Spectrum Support: Nokia claims support for 31 different spectrum bands a nearly market-leading
claim surpassed only by Huaweis 33. The more spectrum bands available with a base station, the more
deployment scenarios it can support.
Antenna Configurations: Nokias Flexi Multiradio 10 supports a highly competitive and distinguished
set of antenna configurations, including 4x2 and 4x4 MIMO, 64 QAM uplink and up to 8 Rx uplink
MU-MIMO. Additionally, it offers eight-path downlink dual- stream MIMO, eight-path downlink
MU-MIMO and 8x2 SU-MIMO in TD-LTE. MIMO antenna support allows for better coverage and/or
better capacity, and active antennas can improve network efficiency and user experience by directing radio
resources where theyre most needed.
Instantaneous Bandwidth: In three of the most commonly used FD-LTE bands (Bands 3, 7 and 20),
Nokia reported instantaneous bandwidth (IBW) of 75 MHz, 70 MHz and 30 MHz figures that match
Samsung at the top of market claims. Unlike Samsung, however, Nokia didnt report the IBW of its
Flexi MultiRadio 10 in Band 40, the most commonly used TD-LTE band. High IBW the maximum
continuous spectrum bandwidth that a base station can acquire implies greater efficiency in fully
utilizing spectrum assets.
STRONG
Base Station Volume: Nokias FMR10 system modules each take up about 25 liters of space (and an
indoor TD-LTE version is less than 18 L). That volume ranks on the high side relative to competing
BBUs, but the Flexi 10s modular architecture promises more efficient space consumption than
competitors cabinet-based offerings. Base stations with smaller volumes can promise operators lower real
estate rental fees and potentially lower labor costs upon installation.
Base Station Mass: The modules used in building Nokias base stations weigh 25 kg each a figure that
falls in the middle of rival claims. Lower mass base stations can offer potential savings through easier
installation.
Remote Radio Form Factors: The physical volume of Nokias RRUs varies widely from 5 L one of
the most compact RRUs on the market to 33 L. The average across this portfolio, 25 L, is higher than
those of all four top competitors. Compact form factors can help ease installation and siting, potentially
lowering operating costs.
Integrated Antennas: Nokia introduced three integrated antenna solutions in 2015 one with a single
4x40 W radio inside and two that each have two 4x40 W radios inside. With 2T2R, 2T4R and 4T4R
options, Nokia matches the two earliest movers in this area Ericsson and Huawei, and its claims of
support for up to nine or 12 bands, depending on the solution, is distinguishing, as is claims of flexibility
stemming from a looser integration (and the ability to repurpose radio modules) than most rivals
promote. Integrated antennas (which combine radios and antennas in a single form factor) can avoid
signal attenuation and siting costs by reducing the number of tower-mounted nodes.
Small Cell Solutions: Nokia offers six LTE small cells: the Flexi Zone Outdoor Micro/Pico BTS, Flexi
Zone Indoor Pico BTS, Flexi Zone Outdoor Pico-E, Flexi Zone G2 Outdoor Pico BTS, Flexi Zone
G2 Indoor Pico BTS and FAPe-lte 7610. Current Analysis rates Nokias portfolio as Very Strong in
the market, surpassed only by Alcatel-Lucent, which was ranked as the spaces sole Leader, and whose
small-cell portfolio Nokia now owns. A competitive small-cell portfolio is an important part of any RAN
vendors potency in the global LTE eNodeB market.
JJ Technology Evolution
LEADER
LTE-Advanced: Nokia earned credibility in LTE-A by supplying the first three operators to commercially
launch services based on LTE-As carrier aggregation features: SK Telecom, Korea Telecom and LG U+.
In addition to continuing wins in this area (e.g., du, Zain KSA), Nokia has demonstrated well-rounded
expertise , aggregating ten bands more than any of its rivals and aggregating TD-LTE with FD-LTE
earlier than nearly all of its rivals. Support of LTE-Advanced is important in ensuring operators that have
not yet selected LTE eNodeB vendors that their networks will be ready for advanced features. Support
of carrier aggregation in particular is important for near-term spectrum utilization and keeping up with
capacity needs.
C-RAN: Nokia has promoted a differentiated centralized RAN solution, primarily targeting stadium/
arena environments, that uses a dynamic uplink version of Coordinated Multipoint (CoMP) technology
to mitigate uplink interference and increase network performance. Nokia has also promoted Ethernet
fronthaul solutions it is developing setting it apart from most RAN vendors though it has been quieter
on this topic amid its acquisition of Alcatel-Lucent. Centralized and virtualized RAN architectures may
help some operators increase the efficiency of their mobile access networks and lower installation and rent
Model Name
Components
Dimensions
Footprint
Mass
Multi-chassis
Antenna Configurations
7,560
Bands 1-5, 7-14, 17-21, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30-32,
38-42, 66
180/240 W (3T6R) RFM, 360 W (6T6R) RFM,
160 W (8T8R) and 160/120 W (4T4R) 80/120
W (2T2R) RRH, 160 W (2T2R +2T), all in
operator-adjustable steps starting at 1 W per pipe.
Flexi Metro RRH = 5 W + 5 W, tunable down to
50 mW Integrated Antenna 5W per port, 2T2R
TD-LTE-Advanced Radio, Multi-Mode TD-LTEA Radio with high transmit power (TD-LTE-A
+ TD- SCDMA), and low power TD-LTE- Advanced for transmit power with 1W per port
Output power of the radio can be done remotely
by software in multiple ways. Hardware supports
output power adjustment. i.e. no need to run
full power all the time and no need for hardware
changes. For example: (1): Nokia Intelligent Beamforming algorithm dynamically changes the use of
transmit antennas and Beamforming techniques
based on the traffic load and dynamically reduces
transmit power - thus reducing power consumption. (2): Nokia SRAN Energy Efficiency features
such as uDTX, MIMO switch off and layer switch
off
Intelligent Beamforming including 8 Transmit
Coordinated Beamforming for TD-LTE, 8x2
SU-MIMO with MU_MIMO (TM9 Advanced),
Supercells with TM9 MU-MIMO called as
SuperTM9, 4x2 MIMO, 8-path downlink dualstream MIMO and 8-path downlink TM8 with
MU-MIMO (TM8 Advanced) in TD-LTE. 4x4
MIMO introduction in line w/ device support,
64 QAM UL, up to 8Rx UL_COMP, up to 8 Rx
UL MU-MIMO. 8 MU-MIMO for DL and UL.
DL_COMP demonstrated with LGU+ at MWC2015
Yes. LGU+, SK Telecom, KT, Optus, STC,
KDDI, Taiwan Mobile, Maroc Telecom, Chunghwa Telecom. Nokia also has a prominent presence
in other markets including Elisa, TeliaSonera, Salt,
Megafone, T-Mobile, du, Ooredoo, Starhub
Yes. Supplier to all three Korean operators with
3-band CA services.
Support
RAN Sharing Support
Commercial Availability
Outdoor Adjuncts
LTE Small Cells
Yes
ATM, ATM IMA, 100bT, GigE, GPON
648 TRX
324 SC
Yes, capacity same as FDD
Software-defined System Module (BBU) & RF
units for GSM, WCDMA, FDD and TDD LTE
and LTE-A. Software allows
concurrent sharing of system module capacity
across multiple RATs.
All RAN sharing methods are supported for GSM,
WCDMA and LTE. The MOBSS for GSM,
MORAN for LTE and WCDMA and MOCN for
GSM, WCDMA and LTE are software features.
We also support roaming based sharing, dedicated
or shared spectrum, RF sharing and baseband
(system module) sharing. Nokia is one of the leading sharing suppliers and our first implementation
dates back to year 2004 (3GIS Sweden). Nokia
Small Cells also support this. TT-Network (TTN),
the joint venture between TeliaSonera and Telenor,
has completed the final phase of its groundbreaking Single RAN network sharing project, for which
Nokia Networks was the sole radio and services
provider. This is the first time ever that a network
across GSM, 3G and LTE has been supplied to two
operators sharing the network and frequencies.
Q2 2011
Flexi Multiradio 10 BTS
Flexi Zone Outdoor Micro/Pico BTS; Flexi Zone
Indoor Pico BTS; Flexi Zone Outdoor Pico-E;
Flexi Zone G2 Outdoor Pico BTS, Flexi Zone G2
Indoor Pico BTS; Flexi Zone G2 Outdoor MultiBand Micro/Pico BTS; FAPe-lte 7610
Remote Radio Unit Model Names
Integrated Antenna/Radios
Volume
Spectrum Band Support
Antenna Configurations
Power Output
General Availability Timing
10